Sen. Cristina Castro

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Early Childhood Education Act to establish a framework for early childhood education in Illinois. A specific provision within the legislation ensures that the rights, benefits, and employment status of state employees and their agencies remain unchanged by the new act. It explicitly states that the law does not affect existing personnel codes, labor relations, collective bargaining agreements, or pension plans. The bill was signed into law and became effective on June 25, 2024, with some provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Amends the Parking Excise Tax Act. Reinserts the definitions of "booking intermediary" and "charge or fee paid for parking" removed by Public Act 102-700 and reinserts those terms into the definition of "operator". Effective immediately.

Creates the Small Business Truth in Lending Act. Sets forth provisions concerning disclosure requirements for sales-based financing, closed-end commercial financing, open-end commercial financing, factoring transactions, renewal financing, and other forms of financing. Provides that all commercial financing shall include a clear and conspicuous notice on how to file a complaint with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that the Department may adopt rules. Provides that upon a finding by the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation that a provider has violated the provisions or rules, the provider shall be ordered to pay the Department a civil penalty for each violation of the provisions or any rule not to exceed $10,000 for each violation, or if a violation is willful, $20,000 for each violation. Sets forth provisions concerning cease and desist orders, injunctions, investigation and examination, civil actions, violations, and registration. Provides that a violation of the provisions constitutes an unlawful practice in violation of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Defines terms. Makes a conforming change in the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the senior citizens homestead exemption, permanently removes the requirement to reapply for the exemption in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants (currently, that requirement was eliminated only for taxable years 2019 through 2023). In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, provides that, if the county board passes a resolution removing the requirement to reapply for the exemption, the chief county assessment official shall conduct, by no later than December 31 of the first year of each reassessment cycle, an audit of all senior citizen homestead exemptions granted for the preceding reassessment cycle.

Amends the State Treasurer Act. Provides that the State Treasurer may establish and administer a non-profit investment pool to supplement and enhance investment opportunities otherwise available to not-for-profit corporations in the State. Provides that the Treasurer may receive funds paid into the pool for the purpose of holding and investing those funds. Provides for surety bonds payable to not-for-profit corporations who participate in the pool. Makes changes to provisions concerning the direct deposit of State payments. Amends the Accountability for the Investment of Public Funds Act. Provides that the Treasurer shall adopt rules for the efficient administration of the pool. Provides that each State agency shall make available on the Internet, and update at least monthly, no later than the end of each month (rather than by the 15th of the month), sufficient information concerning the investment of any public funds held by that State agency to identify specified information. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning radon testing, provides that every school building of a school district that is occupied or will be occupied shall be tested by January 1, 2028 and shall be tested every 5 years thereafter for radon (instead of recommending that every occupied school building of a school district be tested every 5 years for radon). Provides that all new schools of a school district shall be built using radon resistant new construction techniques in accordance with the American National Standards Institute/American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists CC-1000, Soil Gas Control Systems in New Construction of Multifamily, School, Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings standard or a successor standard (instead of recommending that new schools of a school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques, as shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings). Removes a provision allowing a person to perform radon screening tests without a license. Makes changes concerning the exemption. Provides that if radon is found to exceed specified levels, then the school district shall (instead of may) hire a licensed radon professional to perform confirmatory measurements (instead of to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made). Sets forth provisions concerning mitigation. Provides that a school district may use life safety funds, if available, for radon testing and mitigation. Preempts home rule powers.

Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Requires a law enforcement agency to attempt to obtain a biological sample from closely related family members of the missing person or a personal item of the missing person beginning 30 days after the date of the missing person report (rather than within 30 days after receipt of a report). Provides that a law enforcement agency may not establish or maintain a policy that requires the observance of a waiting period before accepting a missing person report. Modifies the circumstances under which a law enforcement agency may not refuse to accept a missing person report. Requires a law enforcement agency to notify a person responsible for the missing person's welfare, or other specified individuals, about specified efforts to locate a missing person. Provides that, if a person remains missing for 30 days after the date of report, the law enforcement agency shall immediately (rather than may) generate a report of the missing person within NamUs, and the law enforcement agency shall (rather than may) attempt to obtain specified information and materials that have not been received. Modifies the follow-up action required by a law enforcement agency after creation of a missing person report. Modifies the definition of "high-risk missing person". Upon receipt of a missing person report (rather than immediately), requires the responding local law enforcement agency to enter all collected information relating to the missing person case in the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System and the National Crime Information Center. Makes other changes to reporting requirements. Modifies requirements for submission of fingerprints from unidentified remains for analysis as well as other requirements relating identified human remains. Provides that an assisting law enforcement agency, a medical examiner, a coroner, or the Illinois State Police may not close an unidentified person case until the individual has been identified and must keep the case active. Requires the coroner, medical examiner, or assisting law enforcement agency (rather than the coroner or medical examiner) to obtain a biological (rather than DNA) sample from an individual whose remains are not identifiable, and modifies how the sample may be analyzed and labeled. Makes other changes.

Congratulates David Sam, Ph.D. on his retirement as president of Elgin Community College (ECC). Commends his exemplary service and dedication to the students, faculty, staff, and community of ECC.

Encourages the utilization of small, diverse, and veteran-owned firms, as M/WBE and DBE programs have demonstrated success in promoting economic opportunity, equity and access. Supports federal DBE standards and programs to ensure the success of the Illinois Department of Transportation's DBE Program. Urges Congress to take action to protect the USDOT DBE program and M/WBE and DBE programs overall.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that, for community-based providers serving persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities, subject to federal approval of any relevant Waiver Amendment, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2025 shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide a $3 per hour wage rate increase for all direct support personnel and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings, with at least $1.50 of those funds to be provided as a direct increase to base wages and the remaining $1.50 to be used flexibly for base wage increases. Provides that the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2025 shall include an increase sufficient to provide wages for all residential non-executive direct care staff, excluding direct support personnel, at the federal Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage as defined by rule by the Department of Human Services. Provides that for facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health under the ID/DD Community Care Act as ID/DD facilities and under the MC/DD Act as MC/DD facilities, subject to federal approval of a State Plan Amendment, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2025, shall include a $3 per hour wage rate increase for all direct support personnel and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings, with at least $1.50 of those funds to be provided as a direct increase to all aide base wages and the remaining $1.50 to be used flexibly for base wage increases to the rate methodology for aides. Provides that for residential services delivered on or after January 1, 2025, the rates shall include an increase sufficient to provide wages for all residential non-executive direct care staff, excluding aides, at the federal Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage as determined by the Department. Requires the Department to adopt rules, including emergency rules, to implement the amendatory Act.